


Enjoy Life Sip by Sip

by lynndyre



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Families of Choice, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Uncle-Nephew Relationship, happy feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynndyre/pseuds/lynndyre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iroh catches the fever going around Ba Sing Se, and someone comes to look after him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enjoy Life Sip by Sip

**Author's Note:**

> This fits my h/c bingo square for epidemics (or hugs). It is basically nothing but fluffy uncle/nephew h/c gen feels. I regret nothing, and Iroh is awesome to write.

Iroh studied the earthen ceiling. Strange. He preferred not to sleep on his back for too long, the kinks tended to accumulate- he shifted, and something popped gently in his spine – there. That was better.

"Uncle?" 

"Prince Zuko." Iroh found his voice scratchy, and his throat raw. Zuko looked at him through hair that was definitely long enough now to require a topknot to stay manageable. "No. Fire Lord Zuko. When did you come to Ba Sing Se?" Zuko frowned, in that way that was going to give him wrinkles before he had thirty summers. It made Iroh smile. 

"Can you drink some tea, Uncle? There's ginseng, and ginger in it."

"That sounds... very welcome." 

Zuko slid a hand beneath his shoulders, bearing him up when Iroh's arm faltered. It was a stronger grip than Iroh remembered. The tea, once the first sips had cleared the thick taste of illness from his mouth, was very good, and curled warmly in his belly.

"I feel like an antelope-kitten."

"You've been ill." Zuko's worry wrinkles tightened, and he lowered Iroh back onto the futon more gently than Iroh had been handled in many years. Iroh reached up to lay his hand over Zuko's where it still held the teacup.

"You have grown much better at making tea."

Zuko snorted, a laugh that turned damp and made him swipe a fist across his eyes. "It's all the practice I get without anyone around to make it for me."

"But what brought you to the Earth Kingdom? Especially with this season's desert fever so widespread?"

Zuko looked away, gaze sliding sideways as he busied his hands refilling the cup. "I've been meaning to speak to Earth King Kuei personally, and it's a good opportunity. The ministers have things well in hand, and Mai is keeping an eye on everyone. And I came with Katara and Aang, so there's not really any danger."

No danger in the Fire Lord entering an area of epidemic, in a former enemy nation, without an heir. And on the flimsiest of political grounds. Zuko looked up at Iroh through his shaggy hair, uneven eyes begging to be taken at face value. He really was the worst liar in the entire royal family.

Iroh's chest was tight with something between amusement and helpless, grateful joy.

Zuko must have read some other motive to his silence, as he bowed his head and fisted his hands on his thighs. "I'm sorry, Uncle. Jin wrote you were sick, and I was scared."

"You planned ahead." Iroh moved to sit up on his own, and Zuko shifted immediately to support him once more. "You accounted for possible dangers to your country and to yourself, and compensated for them." Iroh brought his arms up around Zuko's back, turning the supporting gesture into a hug. Zuko's body was familiar and fire-nation warm. "How could I be upset to be cared for?"

Zuko's arms tightened. He sniffed, and muttered "I love you, Uncle," into Iroh's hair.

"I love you too, my boy." Iroh patted Zuko's shoulder, grip still antelope-kitten weak. "May I have the rest of my tea?"

Zuko blew a tiny, perfect lick of flame over the cup, and raised it to Iroh's lips.


End file.
